[Guest Film Review] "Master"2017/09/23,
If one thing could be said for "Master", it is that it is timely. Dealing with the concept of pyramid frauds, the corruption of the multinational companies, and their ties to politicians in a time when Korea is facing a scandal that led to the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye was a definite recipe for success. Furthermore, the presence of Lee Byung-hun, Gang Dong-won and Kim Woo-bin at the helm insured the film's financial success even more, with "Master" taking the 32nd place on the list of highest-grossing films in South Korea of all time, as of February,...More

These Stars Become a Fashionista After 10 Years2017/07/30, Source,
The celebrities shown below are South Korea's famous fashionistas. All of them's got great proportions, strong sense in fashion and charismatic aura about them to digest the unique styles well. However, even these fashionistas have the history they want to delete off of their timeline,...More

Which Actors/Actresses Joined YG Entertainment? 2017/06/27, Source,
For people who are a fan of with K-pop industry, YG Entertainment is a familiar name to your ears. From Big Bang to Psy, Winner, Blackpink and more, YG Entertainment is one of the top agencies in South Korea for the K-pop groups. Now, did you know that YG Entertainment is also a home of many great actors and actresses? Many new/veteran actors/ actresses have signed a contract with YG Entertainment and they are part of the YG Family,...More

Movie Audiences Dwindle for 1st Time in 7 Years2017/01/20, Source,
Movie audiences have dwindled for the first time in seven years. The number of moviegoers hit 200 million for the first time in 2013 and had been rising steadily since, but the Korean Film Council on Thursday said they dwindled by 280,000 last year to 217 million,...More

[HanCinema's Box Office Review] 2017.01.13 ~ 2017.01.152017/01/16,
Japan's highest-grossing anime retains pole position...
Makoto Shinkai's romantic fantasy "Your Name" is now the highest-grossing Japanese anime in history having recently overtaken Hayao Miyazaki's classic, "Spirited Away" (2001). Shinkai's critical acclaimed masterpiece entered the Korean market January 4 and became the first Japanese anime to enter in pole position in over a decade. During its second weekend out, "Your Name" added another 739,079 admissions (30%) and moved its total tally in Korea now to 2.4 million ($17.2 million). Worldwide, "Your Name" has grossed $290 million, enough to overtake "Spirited Away"'s $289 million,...More

[HanCinema's Box Office Review] 2017.01.06 ~ 2017.01.082017/01/09, Japanese anime "Your Name" enters in pole position...
For the first time in over a decade, a Japanese anime has entered at the top of the South Korean box office. Makoto Shinkai's fantasy romance anime "Your Name" (based on Shinkai's own novel of the same name) officially opened on Wednesday after becoming the second-highest grossing anime film in Japan late last year where it banked over $288 million (Hayao Miyazaki's "Spirited Away", the highest-grossing anime, sits on $289 million). From 944 screens, "Your Name" captured 31.3% of the sales (832,040 admissions) to dislodge last weekend's number one, Jo Eui-seok's crime flick "Master",...More

[Guest Film Review] "Secret Reunion"2017/01/07, Jang Hoon, who started his career as an assistant to Kim Ki-duk, has only directed three feature films: "Rough Cut" in 2008, "Secret Reunion" in 2010, and "The Front Line", in 2011. However, all of them are considered masterpieces, with Hoon managing to combine commercial success with acclaimed reviews. This particular one holds the 47th place in the List of highest-grossing films in South Korea, while it also netted the Best Film Award from the Blue Dragon,...More

Actor Kim Woo-bin Says Good Roles Come to Those Who Wait2016/12/24, Source, Kim Woo-bin has returned to the big screen in the crime action flick "Master", which was released on Wednesday. Just six years since his debut, the model-turned-actor is already one of the hottest stars in the showbusiness. To be sure, his heartthrob appeal has helped his career, but Kim has charmed the critics just as much as he does his many fans,...More

[HanCinema's Digest] Cinema Snippets2016/12/03,
The Indian Express interviews Im Kwon-taek about his career and thoughts on Bollywood, see how the recent protests in Korea have impacted the nation's dream machine, Lee Kyoung-mi talks about some of the challenges female filmmakers face, and Kim Hyung-seok explores the trend of fantasy in modern Korean cinema,...More

[HanCinema's Box Office Review] 2016.11.25 ~ 2016.11.272016/11/28,
"Fantastic Beasts" holds out against "My Annoying Brother"...
The British-American fantasy flick "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" narrowly maintained pole position over Kwon Soo-kyeong's incoming family comedy, "My Annoying Brother". Last weekend J.K. Rowling's adaptation of her own work appeared and captured 68% of the sales (1.4 million admissions), and during its second week out this Harry Potter spin-off added another 895,990 stubs (45%) to bring its bottom line now to $24.7 million (3.4 million admissions). Worldwide, this week's number one has grossed $473.7 million,...More

[HanCinema's Film Review] "Voice of a Murderer" + DVD Giveaway2016/11/26,
The time is the early nineties. Kyeong-bae (played by Sul Kyung-gu) is a national news anchor who lives a busy, albeit largely unremarkable life with his wife Ji-seon (played by Kim Nam-joo) as they suss out generally boring domestic problems. This is all thrown into an uproar with the intrusion of a mysterious phone call from That Guy (voiced by Gang Dong-won), who makes vague unsubstantiated threats. Really, after a certain point, it seems like That Guy is just a bit of a sadistic jerk,...More

[HanCinema's Box Office Review] 2016.11.11 ~ 2016.11.132016/11/21,
J.K. Rowling's screenwriting debut summons the masses with magic...
David Yates's fantasy flick "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" arrived in Korea last Wednesday and dethroned a weary "Doctor Strange" at the top of the pile. For the past three weeks, Marvel's mind-bending spectacle has been riding high in the Land of the Morning Calm, but this new magical storm from Warner Bros. Pictures has sent the doctor down a few notches by summoning plenty fresh feet to Korea's big screens,...More

Gang Dong-won to Revitalize Box Office2016/11/08, Source,
Actor Gang Dong-won is set to make a splash at this month's box office with "Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned".
The film was originally due to be released this Thursday but has been kept back for six days to target students once they have sat the college entrance exam next week.
The movie is a fantasy melodrama about a boy who returns from a mysterious world where time and space stand still, and a girl who is the only person to believe him,...More

[HanCinema's Film Review] "A Violent Prosecutor"2016/10/22,
Jae-wook (played by Hwang Jung-min) is "A Violent Prosecutor" who doesn't play by the rules. I mean really, the guy straight up tortures suspects, and locks them in cold rooms overnight hands bound. It's kind of a mixed message considering how the main villain, Jong-gil (played by Lee Sung-min) is an explicitly corrupt public official who eventually makes a run for government. Meanwhile, Chi-won (played by Gang Dong-won) is a petty con artist who, having been caught, ends up striking a deal with Jae-wook to use their powers for good rather than evil,...More

[Interview] Kim Jee-woon with The Lady Miz Diva2016/10/15, Source,
In the 5 years since our last chat with Director Kim Jee-woon, he made a full-fledged Hollywood film and then returned to South Korea to create his latest box office smash, "The Age of Shadows". Director Kim spoke with me about his spy thriller, based on real events during the Japanese occupation of Korea, as it premiered in New York City as part of Korean Movie Night.
We talked about his 20-year collaboration with acting legend Song Kang-ho, Oscar consideration, the influence of John Cassavetes and James Coburn, and he revealed the name of the lead actor for his long-awaited adaptation of "Jin-Roh" (Titled "Inrang"). Oh, and his leading lady, Han Ji-min, makes a cute cameo.,...More

Song Joong-ki in first place for 5 months in a row2016/06/27, Source,
Song Joog-ki is in the lead for brand reputation for 5 months in a row.
According to brand reputation for advertisement models, Song Joong-ki came in 1st, Park Shin-hye 2nd and Taeyeon 3rd.
The Korean Business and Reputation Research Institute measured consumers' brand participation and communication by analyzing 41,004,104 big data of 20 advertisement models from the 24th of May 2016 to 25th of June 2016,...More

[Orion's Drama News] "Go Ahead, (Re)Make My Day"2016/06/11,
It is a week of popularity giants and remakes, as star-studded summer and autumn dramas are already being compared on premise, production and participants. I also take a little look at news on the emerging trend of recreating popular North American series as Korean dramas. Not that the industry has no alternatives or does not remake enough things already, as evident by the third topic I share news of today,...More

[Interview] Lee Wonsuk with The Lady Miz Diva2016/06/11, Source,
There must be something really special about your movies when you've only made two and you find yourself the subject of a retrospective at the legendary Smithsonian Museum. Our dear friend, Lee Wonsuk, director of the brilliant and hilarious "How to Use Guys with Secret Tips", and the award-winning feast for the eyes, "The Royal Tailor", gave us his thoughts on the honor, looks back on the making of those films and reveals his future projects, including a live-action adaptation of the popular webtoon, "LOOKISM",...More

[HanCinema's Film Review] "The Priests"2015/11/28,
A demon is on the loose on Korea, and the situation dire enough that the Vatican ends up sending in two of their own exorcists when they are unable to make contact with the local Korean expert. Unfortunately that only ends up delaying the problem. After some brief consulting about whether or not demons are even real, and then more failures, the Korean Catholic command structure decides to send in Deacon Choi (played by Gang Dong-won), a divinity student who more-or-less meets the qualifications necessary to work as an exorcism assistant for Father Kim (played by Kim Yun-seok),...More

Korean movie of the week "My Brilliant Life"2015/11/05, Source,
Korean movie of the week "My Brilliant Life" (2014) Directed by Lee Jae-yong With Gang Dong-won, Song Hye-kyo, Jo Sung-mok, Baek Il-seob, Heo Joon-seok, Kim So-jin,... Formerly known as "My Palpitating Life"
Synopsis Based on an original by Kim Ae-ran, a story about a boy with progeria disease and his parents.
It is the story of the youngest parents and oldest child in the world... 16 year old boy, Ahreum has Progeria Syndrome, a rare genetic defect that will cause the baby to show rapid aging from an early age. Although Ahreum has struggled with the disease, he was raised as a brilliant young child more than anyone else. Young parents, Mi-ra (Song Hye-kyo) and Dae-soo (Gang Dong-won) are still in their early 30s who had Ahreum when they both were 17 years old, sometimes act immature but they never expressed their sorrow,...More

[Photos] Gang Dong-won's Italian pictures2015/11/05, Source,
Fashion magazine High Cut featured Gang Dong-won on the issue published on the 5th of November.
Gang Dong-won posed in the backgrounds of the Bergamo Cathedral in Italy as well as the old alleyways of the city. The cut of him posing on the stairs is in black and white which makes him look more mysterious than he already is,...More

[HanCinema's Image Gallery] "JEON WOO CHI : The Taoist Wizard" @ 24fps2015/01/31, Choi Dong-hoon's "JEON WOO CHI: The Taoist Wizard" @ 24fps...
There are so many films flashing furiously past our eyes nowadays that it's hard to remember some of the devilish details, moments, and ideas from our favourite features. Add to that all the music videos, T.V. series, news broadcasts, digital advertisements, YouTube playlists and gaming, and it might well start to feel like there's an insurmountable backlog of compelling content, and you'd be right (sooner or later). Our lifetime is slowly being replaced by digital dream streams that if we were to watch all the classics, the critically acclaimed, personal recommendations and cultural must-sees, our lives would no longer have a convincing anchor in reality, and screen-time would be our only time,...More

[HanCinema's Actor Spotlight] Gang Dong-won2015/01/10,
A desirable appearance and star appeal are things that feed one's popularity. For young male South Korean actors, the fastest way to fame is often through the female audience's hearts and the marketability they gain from them. However, this is not always as good as it sounds. Attractive stars usually have to work twice as hard for their acting to be seen above their looks and it does not always happen. Gang Dong-won has successfully gone from a simple heartthrob to someone valued for his talent,...More

Choi Min-sik, Yoo Hae-jin, Park Yoo-chun in Chungmuro2014/12/08, Source,
Chungmuro was a male party. From successful movies to rookies, the event focused on actors who contributed to the film industry throughout the year. The best movies were awarded and rookies were introduced. It was disappointing that actresses didn't have much space to stand in.
# Acting God: Choi Min-sik
It's not an overstatement to say that it was Choi Min-sik's year with his greatest hit being "The Admiral: Roaring Currents". He took on the role of Admiral Yi Sun-shin and 17.6 million people have watched it. The movie re-wrote Korean movie history. This syndrome brought about historical movies once more and there was even debate about the social role of these kinds of generation movies. Choi Min-sik has a record breaking movie on his hands,...More

[HanCinema's Film Review] "My Brilliant Life"2014/09/19,
Ah-reum (played by Jo Sung-mok with some excellent make-up work) is dying of old age even though he's only sixteen years old. Ah-reum has progeria, his days are numbered and, well, that's the movie. Also of relevance- his parents Dae-soo (played by Gang Dong-won) and Mi-ra (played by Song Hye-kyo) are both fairly young. Both of them are in their early thirties, having had Ah-reum when they were still high school students,...More

My Brilliant Life (2014)2014/09/05, Source,
"My Brilliant Life"
Genres: Drama Running Time: 119 min.
Directed by: Lee Jae-yong
Starring: Gang Dong-won, Song Hye-kyo, Jo Sung-mok
Synopsis: A young couple, both of whom are 17-years-old, learns that they will have a baby. The couple feels uneasy and with their heart beating faster than ever, they wait for the birth of their first child. Their baby is named Ah-reum and the couple learns that he has Progeria syndrome, a rare genetic defect that will cause their baby to show advanced aging from an early age,...More

[HanCinema's Box Office Review] 2014.08.08 ~ 2014.08.102014/08/12, Kim's "Admiral" surpasses 10M in record time…Kim Han-min's cinematic celebration of the legendary Korean admiral Yi Sun-sin continued its record-breaking form as it powered past the 10 million admissions mark with ease. Over this past weekend Kim's period epic claimed over 2.5M stubs (58.8%) over 1,335 screens to become the fastest Korean film to reach that milestone, and now stands as the tenth highest grossing Korean film of all time. The film depicts Yi Sun-sin's famous victory at the Battle of Myeongnyang where, against all odds, he defeated the Japanese navy on the Myeongnyang Strait by forcing the Japanese fleet into the narrow pass and made strategic use of the straights strong and shifting currents. "The Admiral: Roaring Currents" now has a total tally of 10.7M admissions ($81.1M); an incredible achievement considering the film was only released on the 30th of last month,...More

KUNDO : Age of the Rampant (2014)2014/07/26, Source,
"KUNDO : Age of the Rampant"
Genres: Action and Epics
Running Time: 137 min.
Directed by: Yoon Jong-bin
Starring: Ha Jung-woo, Gang Dong-won, Lee Sung-min, Cho Jin-woong
Synopsis: Set in the 19th century. Dol Mu-chi, who works as butcher, joins a righteous group of thieves. Jo Yun is the son of wealthy nobleman, but his mother is a concubine. Even though he excels in martial arts, he isn't recognized for his talents because of his lineage. Jo then joins the group of thieves. The thieves steal from corrupt public officials and gives to the poor. The band of thieves then goes up against a powerful figure,...More

[HanCinema's Film Review] "JEON WOO CHI: The Taoist Wizard" + Giveaway2014/04/28,
Jeon Woo-chi (played by Gang Dong-won) is a taoist wizard who's a bit of a rascal. He uses his magical powers mostly just so mess around with people in the Joseon era, until he gets stuck with the task of recovering one half of some sort of epic pipe. He battles goblins for awhile in the Joseon era, until finally the man is thrust into the modern day, where he proceeds to do tricky wacky magical maneuvers in a modern backdrop,...More

[HanCinema's Film Review] "Our Happy Time" + DVD Giveaway2014/04/11,
Yoo-jeong (played by Lee Na-young) chronically attempts to commit suicide mostly out of spite. While suicidal people generally act in such a way because they believe the world would be better off without them, Yoo-jeong holds no such illusions. Her self-inflicted wounds are not a cry for help, but a deliberate sensation reminding the woman that there is no hope, love, or genuine empathy in her life. There is only pain, and Yoo-jeong has been brought up in such a way that viciousness is about the only form of communication she can register as being valid.
Condemned prisoner Yoon-soo (played by Gang Dong-won) has about as bleak an outlook as Yoo-jeong does,...More

Blockbusters coming soon this spring2014/03/10, Source,
The formality of Korean blockbuster movies is breaking up.
It starts off with Hyun Bin. With the release of "The King's Wrath" in April, other movies such as Son Ye-jin's "Pirates" and other blockbusters fill up the line. These blockbusters cost more than 10 billion won each and the atmosphere seems completely different from that of movies that usually come out into the open in July ~ August,...More

[HanCinema Feature] Historical Hysteria: Korean period films coming in 20142014/01/11, Joseon pirates, legends, swordsmen, angels and more coming our way in 2014...
Cinematic journeys back to Joseon and beyond have rewarded the Korean film industry with a string of profitable historical yarns, a trend that has got producers drooling with the prospect of tapping deeper into this regenerative cash cow. Recently, it's been Han Jae-rim's "The Face Reader" (9.1M admissions) that has had locals flustered and, in 2005, it was Lee Joon-ik's "The King and the Clown" that became the first Joseon-era flick to pass the 10 million admissions mark. It's big business with a cultural twist that locals enjoy supporting, international audiences love lapping up, and a trend that 2014 is keen to take advance of as a host of new retrospectives are getting raring to go,...More

[HanCinema's Film Review] "Duelist"2013/11/01,
'Damo' is a series a lot of people will know. Being quite a popular title and undoubtedly one that helped Ha Ji-won rise to fame, it is an important piece of Korean television for many reasons. 'Duelist' has some things in common with it. Both movies are based on the same manhwa and both star Ha Ji Won as the female lead. However, that might very well be where their similarities end. The format is different, one being a drama and the other a movie, but 'Duelist' being a work by Lee Myung-se means it is also an unapologetic art film. This makes it more of a fusion sageuk, as many elements, from wardrobe to the music, take creative liberty and are simply not consistent with the era the movie is set in,...More

Gang Dong-won's absence2013/10/03, Source,
Actor Gang Dong-won revealed why he wasn't at the 18th Busan International Film Festival GV.
He was scheduled to appear for the premiere of his movie "The X" in Centum City CGV but claimed he couldn't make it, the day before,...More

Film Audiences Favor Grown-Up Experience2013/04/30, Source, Ha Jung-woo and Kim Hye-soo have been voted the most popular actor and actress in Korea in a poll by the Chosun Ilbo and the country's biggest ticketing site Maxmovie. But Hwang Jung-min and Jeon Do-yeon were named as the best actor and actress. ◆ Mature Actors, Mature Audiences Remarkably, most of the top 10 most popular actors and actresses are in their 30s to 50s, the only exception being Han Hyo-joo, who is in her 20s. The average age for male and female actors is 42.7 and 34.1. Of the actors, only four are in their 30s, including Ha, Gang Dong-won and Won Bin. A large proportion of the entrants on the popularity list starred in hit movies over the past two years, but Won, Kang, Lee Na-young and Kim Tae-hee managed to stay popular by only appearing in commercials,...More

Red Carpet and Riches Still Await Three Heartthrobs on Return from Army2012/12/22, Source,
From left, Hyun Bin, Gang Dong-won and Jo In-sung
The entertainment world is buzzing as three leading celebrities -- Jo In-sung, Gang Dong-won and Hyun Bin -- have all just returned from their mandatory military service. Movie, drama and commercial film producers are already competing fiercely to get hold of them, and consequently their value is rising even further. The stars reportedly received scripts for movies or TV dramas three to six months before each of them were discharged. Hyun Bin is said to have received dozens of movie and drama offers, and rumors are circulating that he has already signed five to six advertising deals, with more under discussion,...More

Ha Jung-woo, Ha Ji-won Voted Most Popular Movie Stars2012/05/21, Source, Ha Jung-woo and Ha Ji-won have been voted the most popular actor and actress in Korea in an email poll by the Chosun Ilbo and the nation's largest film ticketing site MaxMovie.
Some 25,784 people voted from April 18 to May 5. The two drew 10.1 and 13.7 percent of the votes respectively. But Song Kang-ho and Jeon Do-yeon were chosen as the best -- as opposed to most popular -- actor and actress, with 18 and 23.3 percent.
Since the poll targeted online users of MaxMovie who had been to the cinema at least once last year, it probably reflects moviegoers' preferences more accurately than other surveys,...More

Kim Nam-gil and Gang Dong-won are coming back2012/03/11, Source, Discharged in July and August
Big fish are returning to the entertainment biz where there is currently a famine in actors.
Kim Nam-gil and Gang Dong-won who are serving military duty as public service officers are being discharged in July and August. Several movie, drama and advertisement productions are busy on their feet's trying to get them to star in their projects,...More

Stars Being Released From The Military In 20122012/02/17, Source,
Following the discharge of actor Lee Joon-gi from the military, much attention is being focused on other male stars expected to make their returns this year.
Lee first enlisted back on May 3, 2010, having served in the public relations department in the Ministry of National Defense. He was recently discharged on February 16th, and has already been busy with a fan meeting on the same day at Sang Myung University. 2,000 of his fans came out to greet him,...More

2012 discharges and comebacks2012/02/13, Source,
There are several stars who are being discharged from National Service this year.
Lee Joon-gi is first. He is going to be completing his duties at the National Public Relations and is being discharged on the 16th. He will start working in Korea as soon as he is out.
There is going to be a fan meeting in Seoul Samg Myeong Art Hall on the day of his discharge and he is going to release his new single "Deucer" in Japan next month. Another fan meeting titled, "Coming Back Lee Joon-gi" will be held in Japan,...More

User Review - Secret Reunion2011/11/26, Source,
Some things to know about my review:
- My reviews are subjective and my opinions based on my own general likes and dislikes, unclouded by obsessions.
- They usually don't have major or ending spoilers, but if they do, they will come with a warning.
- If I like a movie enough to write about it, I write a lot about it. My reviews are huge.
- I don't take myself too seriously so my reviews reflect that. It's light reading. A lot of it, but light.
"Secret Reunion" starts, Gang Dong-won speaks and the rest is awesome, due to the fact that his voice has thrown me into a fangirl coma. Ok, I'm kidding. But the movie does start as you would expect a movie like this to. We have rain, a small bleak apartment and a sad-face North Korean agent who is bidding his pregnant wife and unborn kid goodnight, before getting prepped for his next mission after which "he will definitely come home",...More

The Army Blues - Celebrity Enlistment2011/11/19, Source,
It's already been one year since Gang Dong-won (my current obsession) entered the army. I am getting so depressed over this. How I miss my oppa... Oppaaa! Come back to me quick!!!
Oh come on, how can I not joke about this? It's begging for it! And since I have been thinking about the issue of army due to this "anniversary" and what with others now enlisting as well, I thought I'd make a little article about it. My blog version of this is a bit more Gang Dong-won oriented (a few more paragraphs on that), but I'd like to mainly talk about the issue here,...More

Viewer Review - Too Beautiful To Lie2011/11/05, Source,
Some things to know about my review:
- My reviews are subjective and my opinions based on my own general likes and dislikes, unclouded by obsessions.
- They usually don't have major or ending spoilers, but if they do, they will come with a warning.
- If I like a movie enough to write about it, I write a lot about it. My reviews are huge.
- I don't take myself too seriously so my reviews reflect that. It's light reading. A lot of it, but light.
"Too Beautiful To Lie" begins by introducing the heroine of the story, Ju Yeong Ju. She is in prison for fraud and is up for parole. A parole she manages to get granted by totally deceiving the committee with her great "Drama Queen" acting skills. She is on her way to her sister's wedding when she meets Choi Hee Cheol on the train, after an awkward (mostly for him) situation,...More

Viewer Review - Haunters2011/10/15, Source,
Some things to know about my review:
- My reviews are subjective and my opinions based on my own general likes and dislikes, unclouded by obsessions.
- They usually don't have major or ending spoilers, but if they do, they will come with a warning.
- If I like a movie enough to write about it, I write a lot about it. My reviews are huge.
- I don't take myself too seriously so my reviews reflect that. It's light reading. A lot of it, but light.
I have started with Gang Dong-won movies, using my newly acquired obsession for inspiration and since I like them a lot. Which is why you won't be seeing a review about "Temptation of Wolves", which was frankly god-awful,...More

The 3 Means of Success For Hot Stars2011/10/01, Source,
There was an article a few days ago in the korean Osen portal, on Gang Dong-won, Won Bin and Gong Yoo and 3 common elements between them which contributed to their success. Being someone who has quite positive feelings for all three of these beloved actors, I decided to write an article inspired by the one found in Osen.Well-timed transition from television to movies
So the one obvious common strategy between these three is that they started with television. Dramas are a good way to gain popularity, raise the level of offers you get and generally get noticed. All three gentlemen started with them and gained recognition and mainly fame through them. But television is a good way to pigeonhole ones self,...More

Experience the fusion of Korean Culture and The Four Season City of Australia, through the eyes of KOFFIA 20112011/09/24,
"I'm genie for you boy, I'm genie for your wish…" (GENIE, Girls' Generation)
As I was walking across the aisle, the Genie song tickled my ears as it was inviting me to come in. I was then so sure for stepping my feet further inside. This is the place.
It was Monday. As Melbourne is (in)famously known as the four season city, the day was a bit chilly even though it was already spring. It supposed to be the most lovable season when the wind should've stopped demonstrating his fierce blow. I hurriedly walked from the nearest tram stop to my destined place, ACMI (Australia Center for Moving Image). One of the greatest place in Melbourne. And where the Korean Film Festival 2011 was held,...More

[Photo] Rookie Oh Hyeon-woong and his airport fashion2011/09/04, Source,
'The 2nd Gang Dong-won' Oh Hyeon-woong's airport fashion caught people's eyes.
Oh Hyeon-woong, who showed up at Incheon International Airport on the 2nd, was once top first on portal sites for names to be searched as 'the 2nd Gang Dong-won'. Having been cast for the Korea-China collaborated movie "Jinhwang's Love", he was on his way to the product presentation on this day.,...More

[Weekender] Summer musical treats2011/07/07, Source,
"Romance of their Own"
From Broadway classics to K-pop jukebox musical
By Kwon Mee-yoo
The summer is usually considered a slow season for musicals but a wide variety of hot shows are here this season. From Broadway classics to jukebox musicals featuring K-pop, offering spectacles to tempt people to spend their vacations in theaters.
Classics with modern touch
Broadway classics "Guys and Dolls" will raise its curtain at LG Arts Center in southern Seoul on Aug. 2,...More

[Star ESI 3] Male celebs... "I was pretty one time..."2011/05/01, Source,
Only women can be pretty? Men would be disappointed to hear that. Kim Heechul, Jang Geun-suk, Lee Joon-gi and more have been called "prettier men than women" for dressing up as women on TV or in movies. The pictures are of men that make women jealous.
★ Unchanging appearance
They say "Sandalwood is fragrant even in seed leaf". Jang Geun-suk is the one and only male celebrity who is from the "Pretty Child Contest". His smile from then is hard to distinguish if he is a boy or a girl. There is a reason for stealing 'nunas' (elder sister) hearts. The term 'pretty' is well suited for him.,...More

Analysis of 2010 Korean Film Industry2011/04/26, Source,
by KOFIC Film Research & Development Center
In 2010, the Korean film industry witnessed several significant changes, many of which were directly related to the worldwide success of the Hollywood blockbuster "Avatar". The box office gross increased by 6.5% as compared to last year, largely due to the increased ticket prices of 3D films, which boomed in popularity following "Avatar". However, the number of admissions actually decreased by 5.2%, scoring a total of only 146 million admissions. The number of times the average Korean went to the movie theater also dropped from 3.15 per individual in 2009 to 2.92 in 2010,...More

Song Joong-ki: 'I Conducted Thorough Research to Play Yong Ha'2011/03/29, Source, Song Joong-ki answered during interviews with the Japanese press, "When I first received the script, I felt bad because the character that I would play was of little importance. But I put even more effort in studying the character and making a push to increase his presence in the drama".
Actor Song Joong-ki, who has received a great popularity with his appearance in the popular drama "Sungkyunkwan Scandal" by playing a character named Yeo Rim Koo Yong Ha, participated in an interview with Japanese press on March 27 at the Renaissance Hotel in Yeoksam-dong, and advertised the charms of the drama,...More

Family fun for the long holiday 2011/02/01, Source,
"COSplayer" (2004) by Cao Fei at the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea / Courtesy of MOCA, Showbox/Mediaplex, SBS Contents Hub, Seensee Company, SBSMovies, performances and exhibition lineup for Seollal By Lee Hyo-won, Kwon Mee-yoo and Ines Min Seollal falls on Thursday this year, giving way to a long lunar New Year break that allows some people to take up to nine days off,...More

Top Korean Movies to Look Out for in 20112011/01/12, Source, Since 2001, the overall market share of Korean movies has been on the rise in the country reaching its peak in 2006 at 64 percent but falling to 46 last year.
But experts say that the number is only going to decrease slightly this year to around 44 percent.
This is mainly due to large Hollywood co,...More

'Rabbit' celebrities to make leaps in 2011 2010/12/31, Source,
By Kwon Mee-yoo
People born in the Year of the Rabbit are considered skillful and diligent, though not very patient in Korean traditional beliefs, following the traits of real rabbits, a small but clever animal.
The hottest rabbit star could be singer and actor Lee Seung-gi who was born in 1987, turning 24 this year,...More

This Week's Cultural News12010/12/29, Source, In 2010, the audience met with a swarm of great Korean movies of every genre and style that was able to satisfy moviegoers of all types! Let's take a look at the characteristics of the popular Korean films of 2010.

[Interview : ] "I liked 2010 because more movies came out than in 2009".

Korean Movies – Secret Union2010/12/20, Source,
This movie was awarded the "Best Film" prize at the 2010 Blue Dragon Film Awards in Korea theatrical admissions totaled some 5,460,00.
It is about how a South Korean NIS agent comes to understand and become a brother to a derelict spy from North Korea,...More

Korean pic "Haunters" sold to 7 countries2010/11/19, Source,
Film "The Haunters" [Zip Cinema]
Current Korean box office topper "Haunters" has been sold to seven countries, according to the film's producer Zip Cinema.
Zip stated through a press release that "Haunters", which opened in theaters just last week, has been sold to Thailand, Taiwan, Malaysia, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg,...More

Gang Dong-won to enter military today2010/11/18, Source, Gang Dong-won [Asia Economic Daily]
Korean actor Gang Dong-won will enter the military today, according to multiple sources in the entertainment business.
The sources told Asia Economic Daily's Sports Today on Thursday that Kang, 29, will enter the Nonsan training camp in the South Chungcheong Province around 1 p.m,...More

[PREVIEW] Film "Haunters"2010/11/09, Source,
A scene from film "Haunters" [Zip Cinema]
Film "Haunters" gets down to business right away. The story does not bother with details like how its nameless, supernatural character (Gang Dong-won) came to possess its power nor does it reveal the limitations or weaknesses his power has. The viewers are just as lost as main hero Kyu-nam who confronts him and tries to work his way to finding the truth behind this mysterious character. In the movie, supernatural power is no longer a mere prop used to highlight superheroes or create a spectacular scene. The true main character of the story is the supernatural power itself.
Although it was his power to control people with his eyes that left the mystery character a "monster" in the first place, it is also the only thing he can depend on. Hence it was this power that helped him survive living with a father that threatened him and a mother who tried to eliminate his power,...More

[INTERVIEW] Actor Go Soo - Part 12010/11/04, Source, Go Soo [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]
For long, since his debut at the age of 20 in 1998, Go Soo has stolen the hearts of many women with his strong facial features which have earned him the nickname 'Ko-vid', in place of 'David' of the David Statue. Yet instead of believing that his good looks will keep him popular, a mistake so often made by those who are born beautiful, he has been creating his identity as an actor who slowly but steadily and surely has expanded on his realm of acting. After starring in SBS TV series "Piano" in 2001 which won him titles as best new actor and most popular actor at the network's year-end awards ceremony, Go Soo, now 32, still puts in as much thought and effort as he did into his acting when he first made his debut. He was on close to a four-year hiatus to fulfill Korea's mandatory military duties but he has proven he is no less of the actor he was when he stepped out of the public's eye starting 2006,...More

Gang Dong-won says "wants the power to teleport" 2010/10/18, Source,
Actor Go Soo speaks to reporters during a press conference for film "Haunters" held at a Megabox theater in Dongadaemun of Seoul, South Korea on October 18, 2010. [Park Sung-ki/Asia Economic Daily]
Korean actor Gang Dong-won has said that he would want the ability to teleport to outer space although in the past, he wanted to have the power to control people's minds as his character does in his upcoming film "Haunters",...More

[INTERVIEW] Actor Joo Won2010/09/29, Source,
Korean actor Joo Won [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]
My name isJoo Won. My given name is Moon Joon-won. My father came up the name Joo Won for me after I made it into college. It means 'what the Lord wants and what I should do for the Lord'. I was born in Seoul on September 30, 1987 but I currently reside in Yong-in. My family is composed of my parents and my brother who is five years older than me. My brother and I are the type of siblings that if we don't talk outside of the house you wouldn't think we were related. One can say that my brother is a 'real man' because he is well-built and has a tough personality, whereas I am thinner and the soft type,...More

Fantasia presents 14 Korean features2010/07/20, Source, Montreal's Fantasia International Film Festival, running July 8 – 28 in Canada's second-largest city, presents a total of 14 Korean features this year. The festival which highlights fantasy and strong genre-oriented films from Asia will screen the Canadian premiere of,...More

Lee Joon-gi enters Korean military with apologies 2010/05/03, Source,
Korean actor Lee Joon-gi waves to fans ahead of entering the Korean military on May 3, 2010. [Park Sung-ki/Asia Economic Daily]
Korean actor Lee Joon-gi entered the Korean army today, putting his acting career on hold for the next two years to fulfill his mandatory military duties.
The 28-year-old actor bid farewell to thousands of fans -- including many who flew in from overseas -- and reporters, who showed up at the Nonsan military training camp to see the star off,...More

Im Soo-jung attends Calvin Klein show in Shanghai2010/04/21, Source,
Korean actress Im Soo-jung attends Calvin Klein fashion show held in Shanghai, China on April 16, 2010. [apr agency]
Korean actress Im Soo-jung recently attended a Calvin Klein fashion show in China where she mingled with other international stars including Hollywood bombshell Eva Mendes, according to PR firm apr agency on Thursday.
As a representative of Korea, the actress was invited to the event titled "World of Calvin Klein in Asia", the designer brand's first runway show in the region,...More

[10LINE] Actor Gang Dong-won2010/04/09, Source,
Clockwise from top center: actor Jo Han-seon, actor Won Bin, director Lee Myeong-se, director Choi Dong-hoon and actor Song Kang-ho [10Asia] Gang Dong-won "Just talking about you is cool and you're handsome and all I can say is that I love you a lot. That's the truth". -from the movie "M". Being handsome is important but you need something more than just the looks. Just like actor Gang Dong-won. Ha Jung-hwa He was Gang Dong-won's physical education teacher from middle school. Kang wrote a letter thanking Ha in the magazine "Good Friend". When he was younger he was smart and athletic and he reached the height of 180cm after growing 25 cm during his middle school years,...More

Kim Myung-min, the best in "two-faced charisma"2010/03/22, Source, Kim Myung-min can best display the "two-faced charisma", according to netizens.
Movieweek, a major Korean cinema-related website, conducted a survey on who among popular male entertainers could best portray a role with the "two-faced charisma", or the character that can abruptly change from being gentle to terrifying once his temper explodes,...More

Director Jang Hoon's Movie Picks2010/03/16, Source,
Director Jang Hoon [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]
There are two men. Whether they have their backs turned or are facing each other, they are enemies. They stand together only because they need to, and the distance between them fails to narrow. Gang-pae (played by So Ji-sub) and Soo-ta (Kang Ji-hwan) met in "Rough Cut" to shoot a film and Han-gyu (Song Kang-ho) and Ji-won (Gang Dong-won) meet in "Secret Reunion" to find what they have lost. Yet while Gang-pae and Soo-ta end up scarring each other deeply, Han-gyu and Ji-won find peace.
The man who made these men meet, made them fight and then reconcile, is director Jang Hoon. He has returned with his second directorial feature "Secret Reunion", again telling the story of two male characters as he did with "Rough Cut" but things are different this time,...More

[INTERVIEW] Actor Song Kang-ho - Part 12010/03/04, Source,
Korean actor Song Kang-ho [photographed by Beck: Una/10Asia]
Song Kang-ho interviewed and photographed by Beck: Una
Song Kang-ho is not a funny person. He is an entertaining actor. Song Kang-ho is not a friendly person. He is a familiar actor. Song Kang-ho is not a diligent person. He is an actor who always works. Song Kang-ho is not a successful/proud person. But he is an extraordinary actor. As the third object of "Interview 100", actor Song Kang-ho stood waiting with a cigarette in his mouth and looking more relaxed and comfortable than ever. And rather than giving a fussy greeting or a friendly hug, he simply waved a moderately warm hello with his hand.
Beck Una (Beck): When I saw you at the Pusan International Film Festival last year, you said not to expect much from "Secret Reunion" and joked that it was just a movie where you rode on actor Gang Dong-won's popularity from film "JEON WOO CHI : The Taoist Wizard". But "Secret Reunion" turned out to be much more commercial. Song Kang-ho (Song): I needed it to vent my spite from "Thirst". It was for the film! Hahahahaha!
Beck: You are usually very critical of your own films compared to other actors. What is your take on your film "Secret Reunion"?,...More

"Secret Reunion" maintains hold on Korean box office2010/03/02, Source,
Official movie poster of Korean movie "Secret Reunion" [Showbox]
Korean movie "Secret Reunion" continued to take control of the Korean box office during the final week of February, according to estimates on Tuesday.
The Korean Box Office Information System (KOBIS) revealed the action picture sold over 458,038 tickets during the weekend of February 26 to 28 to attract a over a total 4.2 million admissions since its release earlier in the month.
"Secret Reunion" circles around the chance reencounter of former South Korean intelligence official and North Korean spy played by Korean actors Song Kang-ho and Gang Dong-won.,...More

"Secret Reunion" takes another win on Korean box office2010/02/16, Source,
Movie poster for "Secret Reunion" [Showbox]
Korean movie "Secret Reunion" remained the most popular film in South Korea for the second week in a row, according to estimates on Monday.
Data released by the Korean Box Office Information System (KOBIS) indicated that the action flick hung onto spot atop the local box office, selling 726,116 tickets between February 12 and 14 and over a total two million since its release in early February.
"Secret Reunion" is about the rendezvous of a former South Korean intelligence official, played by Sang Kang-ho, and North Korean spy, played by Gang Dong-won, meeting six years after their initial encounter.,...More

Kim Seung-woo says "Win Win" gave him hardest time in life2010/02/11, Source,
Scene from "Seungseungjanggu" [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]
First, there was rumor it would be the "Kim Seung-woo show". But viewers began to wonder what role Kim would play on show when the names of the supporting show hosts were revealed -- namely TV personality Choi Hwa-jung, comedienne Kim Shin-young, 2PM member Woo Young and Girls' Generation member Taeyeon. But people then started taking interesting in the talk show "Win Win" when it became known that Kim Seung-woo played the traditional jjanggu in the middle of downtown Myeong-dong one day to 'keep the promise' he made with viewers. Then when it premiered on February 2, the show left a not-so-bad impression, showing promise of becoming competition for other shows aired in the same time slot. Below are exercpts from a joint press conference attended by the cast of the show and producer Yoon Hyun-jun.,...More

Many of them are so called "well-made movies" that are both ente,...More

[PREVIEW] Movie Secret Reunion2010/02/01, Source,
Actors Gang Dong-won (left) and Song Kang-ho in "Secret Reunion" [Showbox]
Movie "Secret Reunion" - The terms of brotherhood
On a peaceful afternoon, several rounds of gunshots are fired in an apartment complex. As the terrified residents run out of the apartment building, two men face their twisted fate during the chaos. That day, NIS (National Intelligence Service) agent Hangyu (played by Song Kang-ho) gets kicked out of his organization for failing to accomplish his mission while North Korean spy Ji-won (played by Gang Dong-won) also gets abandoned by his home country for being a traitor. Six year pass and the two men meet again, each convinced that the other does not recognize him. The two are closer to being enemies than sworn brothers as they both dream of turning around their life again at the expense of the other. But as they start living together and look into the other person's loneliness, the mood between the two men start to change, little by little. What is worth watching in "Secret Reunion" is how the relationship between these two men change over time.,...More

[ChanMi's star news] Song Hye-kyo's 5 different images!2010/01/26, Source, Song Hye-kyo is in a costume as a man!
In the commercial film that Song filmed most recently, she is wearing 5 different costumes revealing different characters she can play. One of these, she comes out with a moustache with a short cut hair and a deep voice!
She is so lovable in this commercial for the warm coffee that she wants,...More

Kang and Song say bonded like brothers in "Secret Reunion"2010/01/21, Source,
Director Jang Hoon (center) poses with his lead actors Song Kang-ho (left) and Gang Dong-won attend a press conference for film "Secret Reunion" held at the COEX Megabox Multiplex theater in Seoul, South Korea on January 19, 2010. [Creative Film Marketing]
Press conference for film "Secret Reunion"Song Kang-ho keeps throwing verbal jabs which makes the audience burst out in laughter. Gang Dong-won wears a complex, multi-layered look in his eyes that has not been seen in any of his previous films. From what has been revealed at the press conference for "Secret Reunion", held at Seoul's Megabox Multiplex on Tuesday, "Secret Reunion""Secret Reunion" not only maximized the strengths of the two actors but also took an unexpected turn. The character Han-gyu, a former NIS (National Intelligence Service) agent who now runs a detective agency, appears to be a mixture of Song's two previous characters -- the NIS agent in "Shiri" and the middle-aged mobster in "The Show Must Go on". But his remarks in the movie go far beyond just being funny lines spoken by a character -- it's as if the actor and the character have become one. And one can see in the close-up shots that Gang Dong-won -- who looks as slick as a deer even when he's wearing suits that have long gone out of fashion -- carries in his eyes the intensity of a North Korean spy who is immensely conflicted between his ideology and his emotions.,...More

A story about North and South Korean spies called "Secret Reunion" may initially seem like mawkish c,...More

Gang Dong-won, Song Hye-kyo start filming "Love for Sale"2010/01/20, Source,
Korean actress Song Hye-kyo [Lee Won-woo/10Asia]
Top Korean actors Gang Dong-won and Song Hye-kyo have started shooting their feature segment for the Asian omnibus pic "Camellia", according to the film's producer BAL CON on Wednesday.
The two actors started filming "Love For Sale" on Friday, playing former lovers who forget their memories about each which later leads them to a fatal destiny.
"Camellia" is an omnibus pic made up of three feature films directed by three Asian directors. Each episode will be set in the past, present and future of the city of Busan, Korea.,...More

Song Kang-ho's New Movie 'Secret Reunion'2010/01/17, Source,
In an interview at a hotel in Sokong-dong, actor Song Kang-ho said, "First of all, I could easily identify my own personality with the character I played in the movie ‘Secret Reunion' better than in any of my other movies. The character of Han-kyu in Secret Reunion seems to me to be a mix of previous characters I played before, including Doo-man ("Memories of Murder") and Kyung-pil ("JSA - Joint Security Area"). I think that my character Han-kyu is a unique character, but I also used several of my previous characters from my other movies to influence the character 'Han-kyu'. I see my role as Han-kyu to be an assorted gift of my acting experiences for my fans. I tried to show the essence of my acting through Han-kyu and to express him as a father and a husband in his daily life, even though Han-kyu is an agent of the National Intelligence Service (laughing)".
Song, who has gained growing popularity and recognition for his acting credentials, plays Han-kyu, a former agent of the NIS in the movie "Secret Reunion", which is the second movie by director Jang Hoon, whose first project as the main director was "A Movie is a Movie". "Secret Reunion" will be released on February 4.,...More

[INTERVIEW] Actress Lee Na-young (Part 1)2010/01/14, Source,
Actress Lee Na-young [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]
Most actresses which men rave about, are less liked by women. But a handsome number of female fans became enchanted with Lee Na-young's roles in TV series such as "Ruler of Your Own World" and "Ireland". And words such as 'consistency', 'sturdiness' and 'prudence' -- normally used to describe someone of the male gender -- also befit this 31-year-old actress well. She was the same on the set of film "Lady Daddy". The Lee Na-young that 10Asia met with sighed as she jokingly complained how the female members of the crew would ask for photographs with her when she dressed up as a man in particular, much more so than when she was herself. But it seemed unlike that her image as an actress will be affected after she dons a mustache and short hair to play her character Ji-hyun. Below is 10Asia's interview with the actress who seeks after what she wants, even if it may be the long way around. 10: I hear that you choose your roles quite carefully so "Lady Daddy" was an surprising choice in many ways.Lee Na-young (Lee): I made my mind up very quickly for film "Dream" and sitcom "High Kick Through The Roof" but took more time with "Lady Daddy" because many people around me were concerned about it. Before, I had never thought about 'image' in choosing a role but it seemed I should with this film since the topic may influence my image as an actress in Korea. That's why some people were telling me, "As an actress..". but in the end, I decided to think about my character and genre more than my image. 10: So what was the key factor that led you to take on "Lady Daddy"? Lee: I liked the combination of comedy with the possibly risky topic we are usually careful to talk about. Sex change in particular is something Koreans are not used to and have little information or knowledge about. So I was extremely attracted to the collaboration of the topic and genre, and another thing was that I wanted to play the role of a man. I was very shocked upon seeing Kate Blanchett's acting in the film "I'm Not There". I had never thought I'd be able to play the role of a guy but also started wondering whether such an opportunity would arise in our country too. That's why, when I got the scenario for this film, I was worried about it. But I also told myself that it was unlikely I'd be given the chance to play this sort of a role again. That's why for me, what was important was 'being a guy' and not dressing up as one, whether it be as the person from his past or as a dad.,...More

Song Hye-kyo, Gang Dong-won to star in Asian omnibus pic2010/01/12, Source,
Actress Song Hye-kyo (right) and actor Gang Dong-won, who have been cast to star in Korean director Jang Joon-hwan's "Love for Sale". [BAL CON]
Several of South Korea's top actors including actress Song Hye-kyo and actor Gang Dong-won have been cast in a multinational omnibus film by directors from Korea, Japan and Thailand, according to the film's production company on Tuesday.
BAL CON announced in a statement that the film, tentatively titled "Busan Project", will be composed of three episodes each set in the past, present and future of the city of Busan in Korea.
Based in Korea during the 1970s, the first segment, titled "Iron Pussy", will be directed by Thailand's Wisit Sasanatieng and star Korean actor Kim Min-joon and Thai-American actor Michael Shaowanasai. Shawananasai will play the role of a male secret agent from Thailand in disguise of a woman who later falls in love with an unidentifiable Korean man, played by Kim.,...More

Gang Dong-won says envies Song Kang-ho's animal instincts 2010/01/06, Source,
From left, actor Song Kang-ho, director Jang Hoon and actor Kang Dong-won pose during a photo session of a press conference for film "Secret Reunion" held at the Plaza Hotel in Seoul, South Korea on January 5, 2009. [Lee Ji-hyuk/10Asia] A former South Korean intelligence agency official and a North Korean spy sent to South Korea. In most films, such a setting would end as a tragedy or result in a clash of ideologies as was the case in films "Shiri" or "JSA - Joint Security Area". These characters, who have been trained for the good of their country, will confront each other brutally or will have to face numerous conspiracies as was the case with the NSS agents in KBS TV series "IRIS". But "Secret Reunion" is a film which seems to be set on providing a new form of enjoyment through its characters. Unlike its poster showing a resolutely determined Song Kang-ho and Gang Dong-won, a preview video revealed at a press conference for the film on Tuesday at the Plaza Hotel drew frequent bursts of laughter from the audience. Lee Han-gyu (played by Song) who looks better as the owner of a detective agency than the national intelligence service from which he has been expelled, and North Korean spy Song Ji-won (played by Kang) who still flaunts his outstanding looks on screen despite the director's efforts to do his best to "make him not look like a model", start living together for different purposes. Lee employes Song to win a prize money given for catching spies and Song starts working at Lee's agency to make money to return to the North. Each character, both of whom have been ousted by their organizations, will try to use the other as a tool to reclaim their original positions but the wall between them starts collapsing. "Secret Reunion", which focused on the individual changes the two characters go through regardless of their different ideologies, is set for release on February 4. Below are excerpts from the press conference attended by Song, Kang and director Jang.
Actor Song Kang-ho [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]
Q: What sort of film is "Secret Reunion"? Jang Hun (Jang): A South Korean man in the National Intelligence Service meets with a North Korean man sent to the South as a spy. The film is about the two men who start out as enemies but change after seeing the humane sides to each other while living together.,...More

[PREVIEW] Film "WOOCHI"2010/01/05, Source,
A scene from film "JEON WOO CHI : The Taoist WizardWOOCHI" [Zip Cinema]
"JEON WOO CHI : The Taoist Wizard" is the sole Korean movie on the local box office which will be up to par for competition against the recent rush of some of Hollywood's most anticipated films. The collaboration between director Choi Dong-hoon of hit films "The Big Swindle" and "Tazza: The High Rollers" ("Tazza: The High Rollers") and the cast composed of Gang Dong-won, Kim Yun-seok and Im Soo-jung is already enough to catch the eye of the moviegoers. But the plot in which character Woochi (played by Gang Dong-won) comes to life in modern day Korea for the first time in 500 years to fight off his opponent Hwadam (played by Kim Yoon-suk) and other monsters, clearly reveals what "WOOCHI" is aiming for. This 'Korean superhero flick' is a Korean-style blockbuster which creates buzz with its sheer scale, ahead of having to judge how well it has been made. Of course, its size may seem relatively small compared to its competitors but it will be interesting to see how well this movie -- made by a director who has a firm understanding on Korean stars and the mentality of the Korean public -- will fare amongst the crowd of Hollywood blockbusters.,...More

"Avatar" tops box office for third consecutive week2010/01/03, Source, Hollywood blockbuster "Avatar" remained the most-watched movie in Korea over the New Years weekend since debuting two weeks ago atop the local box office. According to estimates released by Korea Box Office Information System (KOBIS) on Monday, James Cameron sci-fi action flick "Avatar" attracted 1,245,757 viewers during the weekend of January 1-3 to gross over 6.3 million viewers since its release on December 17. Comic fantasy film "JEON WOO CHI : The Taoist Wizard", starring Gang Dong-won, maintained its standing in second place with 800,365 viewers over the weekend. For the second week, "JEON WOO CHI : The Taoist Wizard" was the only Korean movie to make the top ten. The action flick has drawn over 3.2 million viewers to date since making a record-breaking debut on Korea's box office on December 23.,...More

[FOCUS] The 16 stars of 2009 - Part 32009/12/31, Source, Kim Nam-gil
Actor Kim Nam-gil [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]
It may seem foolish to identify an actor as a role he played but Kim Nam-gil is similar in many ways to the character Bidam he played in MBC TV series "Queen Seon-deok" this year. His ability to throw in jokes in between the dialogue on every occasion he gets while also being able to go back straight to being serious and genuine to give heartfelt and mature responses for the actual interview, proved Kim is great at handling various situations. "I had once talked about this with actor Jung Jae-young -- people who grew up wealthy can understand those who grew up hungry but not sympathize with them. And vice versa, those who haven't been wealthy before cannot be aware of or know the difficulties wealthy people face despite seemingly living in abundance. Even I myself think "If I only had money. You can do everything in Korea if you have money. What could be so tough about it?" But my parents let me experience a lot of things such as part-time jobs so bit by bit, I think I've received a lot of help getting where I am in terms of my acting",...More

Lee Joon-gi voted top Hallyu Star of 20092009/12/31, Source,
Hallyu star Lee Joon-gi [Mentor Entertainment]
Korean actor Lee Joon-gi has been voted top Hallyu Star of the year in a survey conducted by a Korean business news publication, according to a press release by his agency Mentor Entertainment on Thursday.
In a recent poll titled "2009 My Vote for Top 6 Stars of the Year", Finance and Economy News asked viewers who they thought were this year's top six entertainers in the following categories; Male idol group, Female group, Solo singer, Male actor, Female actress, Hallyu Star, Drama and Film. Each respondent was allowed to vote for one star in each category.
Results for the survey -- conducted from December 21 thru 29 -- were based on the votes cast by netizens as well as the site's Internet statistics, such as the number of times each star's news articles were read.,...More

[INTERVIEW] Gang Dong-won2009/12/28, Source,
Actor Kang Dong-won [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]
It took some time to get used to talking with Gang Dong-won. And it is not because of his slow way of speech. Kang is one who will listen to a question, remain silent for a long time and give his answer just when you are about to ask another question because you thought he would not answer your previous question. He is an actor who will think over both the question and answer in his head thorougly, check how geniune his answer is and then speak. That is why we were able to experience 'sincerity' -- a value we thought existed only in letters -- from Kang who is the star of recent hit Korean film "WOOCHI" ("JEON WOO CHI : The Taoist Wizard"). 10: You had quit smoking when starting to film "M" -- have you taken it up again?Gang Dong-won (Kang): I failed (to quit). It's hard not to smoke while working on a film because you get stressed. And you also go out to drink a lot after shoots so I'd smoke once in a while when I do. I'm going to try quitting again next year. 10: You mentioned stress. Director Choi Dong-hoon used the word 'hell' to express what it was like on set of "WOOCHI". Kang: I think the rough time the actors and directors have on set is different though. I simply got bruised here and there because the action scenes in "JEON WOO CHI : The Taoist Wizard" is all about speed. There are a lot of scenes where I dash this way and that, fall or ram into places, get beaten up and run away. 10: Working with director Choi must have been very different from working with director Lee Myung-sae of your previous films the "Duelist" or "M". Kang: They have very different styles. They're both great at details but differ in their methods. Director Choi creates complex stories while director Lee goes with simple stories but uses a lot of detail in telling them. 10: This is also a commercial film in the traditional sense. Kang: But I thought "Duelist" was also a very commercial movie. In the midst of filming some people had told me it's becoming too much of an art film but I and director Lee had claimed that it was a commercial film. Both of us had misjudged entirely. (laugh) I can, however, confidently say that "JEON WOO CHI : The Taoist Wizard" is a commercial film.,...More

[ChanMi's star news] Stars show up at Lee Eon's funeral2008/08/23, Source, Many stars who have worked with him in dramas have showed up at the funeral on his way to be burried. Fans and coworkers show much sadness at this tragic event.
Lee Eon has been in a motorcycle accident on the 21st and did not survive it. He was only 27 years old. This tragedy is talked about everywhere.,...More

South Korea's esteemed 45th Daejong (Grand Bell) Film Festival held in southern Seoul, showcased the latest local box office trends, with its stronghold of original thrillers, stylistic period pieces and experimental projects. While superstars grabbed the limelight,...More

In conclusion, the interrelationship is inverse proportion according to the trend in 2007 box-office success in Korean film industry. Among the 100 movies released this year, only 4 movies had more than,...More

Korean Films Recover at the Box Office2007/09/19, Source, Korean cinema is showing signs of recovery in the domestic market after a slow first half of 2007. Korea's leading cinema chain CGV announced that last month August recorded the highest monthly cinema attendance number, mainly because of the Korean films,...More

The Ideal Young Korean Male -- Revealed2007/06/28, Source, A plastic surgeon has published a composite image of the ideal male Korean face. Rhee Seung-chul, the head of plastic surgery at Hanil General Hospital, made the image from the faces of 16 Korean Wave,...More

Which Korean Stars Have the Greatest Pulling Power?2006/11/17, Source, Who is the actor in Chungmuro today who can mobilize the greatest number of fans? And just how many tickets can be sold on the basis of that actor's name alone? We asked a group of 12 producers and PR execs that know actors' commercial value best who in Korea can "open" a movie and ranked the top 20,...More

To celebrate the Chusok holiday, millions of people are expected to hit the roads to their hometowns enduring severe traffic congestion. But with longer leaves from work this year, many people will also be spending the holiday at theaters.

Prime Entertainment Expands2006/03/27, Source, Innotz / Prime Entertainment, a new player in the Korean film industry, just got bigger, after taking over the well-established production company Korea Entertainment. The latter is known for its commercial hits Mapado, The,...More

For the photo album, consisting of six sections with subtitles such as "Erotic" and "Movie", Kang took various kinds of photo,...More

Korean Men in Grip of Plastic Surgery Craze2006/02/09, Source, At university, Han was considered a bit of a heartthrob for his good looks, but early this month he nonetheless spent W4 million (US$4,000) on a softer chin. He is one of an increasing number of Korean men who are succumbing to the plastic surgery craze that has gripped the country.

Killers in love2005/12/16, Source, When you conjure up images of killers from movies and television dramas, you'll find that they are generally simpletons. These killers, who go to the most humanely possible extreme of extremes, don't think much. Killers never busy themselves with questions like, "Who was this person?" "Why kill this,...More

Good girls seem to always fall for bad boys. But in the case of "Duelist", which is expected to make a stylish splash in theaters everywhere, Choson Kingdom policewomen seem to fall for the bedroom charms of hired assassins dressed in black.

The actor Park Joong-hoon has turned forty this year. Despite his youthful vigor, he's now over the hill. In the virtual history movie "Heaven's Soldiers" set to premiere on July 15, he will play Admiral Yi Sun-shin. More

NAMYANGJU, Kyonggi Province - After a six year hiatus, the director of the 1999 detective action film "Nowhere To Hide" will tell another detective story set during the Choson Kingdom in his upcoming,...More

Summer is a time when vacationing teens make up a large portion of the movie-going public. Film companies, of course, are aware of this and are always on the lookout for that one movie idea or two that will grab young hearts and wallets.

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